The times they are a changing. The website Queerty reports on a new option that many people have taken to come out of the closet, via Facebook:

Gay Star News reports that 800,000 Americans in total came out on Facebook over twelve months, posting to their profile expressly to reveal same-sex attraction or specifying their preferred gender.

That’s nearly three times what the number was last year.

[snip]

Six million Americans in total have come out on Facebook, and 78 percent of those people did so since the beginning of 2012. The total number of fans who “liked” LGBTQ pages increased nearly 25 percent over the last year.

What this means for the community is increased visibility. Coming out online is another way to tell our story and help promote acceptance of the LGBTQ community, and help others who may not have come out yet feel they are not alone. It also has the potential to provide a more accurate reflection of our numbers vs. the standard survey — surveys don’t always ask the question correctly to capture the needed information and not everyone wants to be bothered with filling it out. Finally, with online bullying being a problem, it’s good to have something else that is a positive reinforcement of LGBTQ identity, support and community.